


A Dance With Dark

by Ravenwind



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cunnilingus, Eventual Romance, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Love, Mass Effect 2, Masturbation, Multi, Neck Kissing, POV Female Character, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2020-10-05 04:57:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 19,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20483249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenwind/pseuds/Ravenwind
Summary: The Normandy SR2 roams the stars, her crew racing to stop the Collectors. But can they manage their own growing feelings for one another, and put aside their differences for the sake of the mission? Each crewmember knows the stakes, the Collectors & the Reapers must be stopped before they harvest the galaxy, and those they've grown to care about with it.





	1. Miranda

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for your time, this is my first attempt at publishing any of my own personal work. I use writing as an escape and decided finally to share some of my work. I started this story because I never saw a true balance between the more smuttier work and true storytelling, and my hope is that this story will bridge that gap. With smut for those who want it and story for those who want it. I plan to turn this into a long series with regular installments of new chapters every week. So make sure to subscribe in order to see when I post new chapters. Requests are also open! Who knows how long it will go on for, I just hope that you enjoy the ride for however long that is happy reading!

The ship hummed, rhythmically, quietly. To some, it meant home, to others it meant a well-running vessel. However, it was a nuisance, an annoyance to the Cerberus officer. Keeping her awake, driving her to take pills for the headaches it caused. She found solace in her private shower; most of the crew only had access to communal showers, it was one of the perks of being the senior Cerberus officer aboard the SR2. And as she stood there the warm water clung to her smooth alabaster skin, and ran through her raven hair. These showers provided a brief respite from her duties, the sounds of the water drowning out the hum of the ship; the warmth of the water filled the cold loneliness she felt inside of her. 

Finding love is hard when you’re sworn to a life of secrecy, a life on the run. But inside the frosted glass of her shower, there was no secrecy, all of her secrets were laid bare; her perfectly augmented breasts, her thick and voluptuous ass, and the pink, smooth clit that laid between her legs. There were no secrets here, only her, only the water and only a porthole the size of a dinner plate showing an entire galaxy her body. 

The Normandy was divided into decks and rooms, each crew member had their favorite, usually the ones you could find them on. Shepard had his cabin and his fish towards the top. Miranda had her office and her databases. Even Garrus found a home near the bow’s massive weapons and he had his calibrations. 

Her least favorite deck, however, was engineering. The engineering deck to Miranda was dark, hot, loud and foreign to her. Miranda may have been genetically engineered to be perfect, schooled to be ultra-intelligent and trained to be an elite Cerberus operative; however things such as element zero acceleration, containment, management and so on were all things her father felt was beneath her, maybe he was right too. Miranda was groomed to be a diplomat perhaps, maybe even the Cerberus officer she later became, but never to work in a boiler room. After all, her beauty, her sharp tongue, and her deadeye aim were all things that would be wasted down there amongst the tangle of cables and control panels. She knew little of the engineer’s work and liked to keep it that way, however, this wasn’t the true reason she despised that deck. The true reason was due to a woman who knew even less about these things than her, Jack. Jack was violent, hot-tempered and vulgar, as likely to curse you out as Joker was to crack a wise-ass remark. However tonight she had no choice but to enter the dragon’s lair. The elevator doors slid aside, allowing her passage into the hallway of engineering and as she stepped out into the hallway she stopped abruptly. And just as she resolved herself to turn around the way she came, retreating back to her shower, the voice of Shepard rang in her head. “You caused this Miranda, and you will make things right”. She eyed her boots, they were black and white, more stiletto than a combat boot. Miranda drew a deep breath and marched towards the underbelly of engineering.

Her boots clicked on the hard metal floors of the deck with every step, there would be no element of surprise tonight she thought to herself. Descending the staircase she passed into Jack’s realm and left the cool, artificial blue glow of the upper deck. She saw the rebel, lying on her cot awash in the red glow of the ship’s lights. Miranda was enveloped in purple light as she watched Jack her arms crossed behind her head, bobbing her foot restlessly. Jack was beautiful in her own way Miranda pondered briefly. Jack was her own woman, her shaved head, her collection of prison tattoos and her odd choice of clothes. Being her own woman is all Miranda ever wanted, maybe that’s why in this red glow of the ship deep into the hours of the night Miranda didn’t see Jack as an enemy but simply as a beautiful woman she oddly respected. Maybe she really  _ was  _ sorry for what she said to the convict. 

Miranda’s voice faltered at first, she was seldom nervous even in the heat of battle but this, this was worse. “I...I came down here to apolog-“. Jack’s eyes opened and her head lifted off the cot followed by her body, her eyes narrow and angry like a viper’s. “ _ Bullshit _ , you stuck up, nosey bitch. You came down here to do what Shepard told you to do. And now you have, so do me a favor and fuck off, this time for good”. Her screaming echoed through the halls of engineering.

“I assure you that I’m here because I truly feel awful about what I said”. Miranda’s voice softened almost to a whisper. “Jack you’re not a mistake”. 

Jack spun around to face the Cerberus officer. Meeting her whisper with a boom and pointing her finger. “No, but you fucking are.” 

Miranda crossed her arms, leaning against the wall, “realistically I think it’s more accurate to say I’m the exact opposite of a mistake.” Miranda watched as Jack rolled her eyes. She drew a deep, frustrated breath. “Look, Jack, I’m sorry for what happened to you at Pragia, however, I still maintain that those people weren’t Cerberus, not really.” 

The convict stood up and turned her back to Miranda, crossing her arms. “Fuck off before I smash your head into a wall and turn you into a smear.” 

Miranda’s eyes wandered towards the stairs, quickly returning to Jack who still wasn’t even looking at her. “And what would killing me accomplish exactly Jack? Would it change what happened? Would it bring you back to your family? Or would it just make you feel better for a few seconds?” 

Jack’s arms uncrossed, her hands balling into fists. Miranda heard Jack speak in a tone she had never heard before, even at her angriest, “leave.” Miranda’s eyes shifted, now she had her arms uncrossed as well. 

“No,” Miranda said defiantly.


	2. Tali

Tali had just finished sending information packets through her Omni-tool to Shepard, the commander needed to be made aware of any changes to his ship and lately, the 32nd heat release valve connecting to the ship’s eezo core had begun to malfunction. Tali felt so at home aboard the Normandy it hurt her to see it fail in any way, a mishap like this was akin to a hole in the roof of one’s house to the young Quarian. The hum, the lights, the people everything about the Normandy made Tali feel at home. 

Suddenly Tali heard an alarm begin to sound. She ran back towards the engineering room, passing through the first set of doors she could smell smoke even through her helmet’s filter. The door’s slid open and Tali saw Donnelly and Gabriela. 

“What’s going on, update me,” Gabriela turned around.

“We’re not sure ma’am one second everything was running fine then the next second we heard what sounded like shouting and fighting from downstairs. Now we’re losing pressure in one of the airlines.” 

Tali looked back toward the hallway and saw Miranda limping down the hall. Tali turned and began to follow her, “Miranda?” Tali called out but received no response and as she turned the corner Miranda had already left on the elevator. Suddenly she realized Jack may need help downstairs, perhaps Miranda finally got tired of her and killed her, Tali wondered to herself. 

Tali crept down the steps to Jack’s room, this was her first time actually down here. She had seen Jack come and go, but she herself had never even truly spoken to Jack before; aside from the quick hello and goodbye. She could finally see Jack in the distance on her knees, her hands plugging a pipe that ran through the wall of her room. 

“Jack..? Is everything alright? We heard some noise and I saw Miranda limping out of here. What happened to the wall?” Jack glanced over at her, Tali could only see the left side of her face. 

“Everything’s fine, go away. What happened is between me and the cheerleader,” Jack spoke plain and simple, but also without any malice. 

“I see,” said Tali, “just don’t break anything else, and if you ever need to talk I’m here.” 

Jack glanced over at Tali, actually looking at her eyes this time. “Listen, you don’t want to talk to me okay? You don’t want to be my friend and we have nothing in common. You’re too nice or whatever”. 

Tali clasped her hands together fidgeting her fingers nervously and spoke just as nervously. “Everyone needs a friend Jack..” 

Tali was cut off. “Friends fucking die...and then what? What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?” 

Tali didn’t have an answer. “I’m sorry...I...I didn’t mean, I’m sorry”. 

Jack looked back at the wall. “Don’t be, I just don’t want to lose another fucking friend. You’re good Tali, you don’t need me to suck your dick”. 

If Tali didn’t have a helmet you might have seen her blush, “I don’t think I have one of those anyways”. 

Jack shot her a quick glance. “No? Gotta be something down there, either way just go do whatever smart shit it is you do. I’m not dead yet from a fucked mass relay jump so you must be pretty decent at whatever it is you spend your time on that Omni tool doing, probably watching porn.” 

Tali’s voice spiked, “Kellah! Am not, and as a matter of fact, I have to get back to those things. So as long as everything is under control I should go. We should talk some other time Jack.” 

Jack returned to her cot and looked at the Quarian once more, with a bored expression. “Yeah, whatever.”


	3. Jack

All Jack wanted was peace, first the cheerleader and now Tali? What did she do to deserve this she wondered? But instead a rather bored, yet polite, “yeah whatever” left her lips. With her work fixing the mess with the pipes done, Jack returned to her cot. And began throwing her thermal clip in the air and catching it. Jack liked the loud hum of the engineering deck, it annoyed her just enough to pay attention to it, rather than her own thoughts. 

As quickly as Tali arrived, she departed. Jack’s eyes wandered following the form of the Quarian as she left. Her shape was beautiful, slim and fit. Her mind briefly wandered, asking herself who had the nicer body, Tali or Miranda? Eventually, she decided there was no clear winner, they were just different. While Miranda was curvy in all the right ways, Tali was fit and tight. Jack thought about how well-toned Tali must be underneath her suit. Jack found her suit to be gorgeous as well, there was true art to it. Tali’s suit may have been a necessity for her survival, but it was just as beautiful as any fashion Jack had seen on the extranet or billboards of the planets she had found herself on. And just like that, her beautiful shape was now a shadow in the dark of her room, and then she was gone. Jack looked back up at the ceiling, catching her ball in her right hand. “Huh,” she said to herself out loud. 

Jack threw her thermal clip across the room, not caring particularly where it landed.  _ Hopefully, it landed on a stair and the next time that Cerberus bitch decided to visit she would slip on it _ . Jack thought to herself. 

But Jack’s mind wasn’t on Miranda, her mind was focused on Tali. Jack unbuttoned her pants, sliding them down her legs; they were just as covered in tattoos as the rest of her body was. Next came her thong. Her mind was fixated on Tali, as her hand lowered to caress and rub the lips of her unkempt pussy. Jack didn’t care much for grooming, life on the run afforded few luxuries, and so sat a dark brown bush that started and ended above her clit, she ran her fingers through it with pleasure. 

Jack couldn’t help but think about what was under Tali’s suit, and what was between her legs. Jack’s fingers began to slide inside her, her wetness running down her legs and onto her cot. 

The biotic moaned softly, “fuck” Jack said, louder than the moans that accompanied it. Just then she used her biotic abilities, however, this time not for battle but for pleasure; her fingers erupted into a purple glow, massaging her clit with the power of her biotic abilities. She arched her back in ecstasy as she felt the vibrations surge through her body; thinking only of Tali’s nude body under her’s. The thought of her wrapped around the Quarian, her fingers inside of her, her tongue inside of her drove Jack wild. 

Jack didn’t even really know what a Quarian looked like under the suit, although that’s probably what drove her so crazy. Jack imagined many things, purple skin with a thick veiny cock between Tali’s legs for Jack to bounce up and down on top of; or perhaps Tali’s skin was grey and underneath her suit there was a beautifully plump pussy for Jack to dive her face into; sopping up all of the cum from Tali’s delicious cunt. Or perhaps even, her skin was green, bones and spikes jutting from her body, to cut herself on. With an alien appendage unlike anything, Jack had seen before. 

Jack was enthralled by her own curiosity, as she crept closer and closer to orgasm. Finally, Jack forced one more powerful biotic wave inside of herself, causing herself to collapse and scream in a torrent of pleasure. Her legs crossed and toes curled. 

“fu-u-u-uck,” Jack exclaimed, her hand buried deep inside herself underneath her cum soaked dark bush; her other hand gipping tightly the headrest of her cot. Then she collapsed in on herself, covered in her own juices; laying in the currents of her very own sea of pleasure. She could barely think straight, her ears rang and her eyes saw dots and flares. She couldn’t help but giggle like a madwoman to herself. 

She needed to wash up, desperately, and so she got dressed once more and started grabbing her essentials. A towel, a new pair of pants and a fresh thong; as well as her shampoo and soap. The SR2 was luxurious to be sure, at least among military vessels. However, the showers were still communal, just with frosted glass instead of crude curtains. The showers were on the Crew’s deck, the one right above her’s. Jack usually never found herself on the Crew’s deck, she felt like a fish out of water. 

_ Must be how the cheerleader felt, coming down to the lower decks to bullshit me _ , Jack mused inside her head. On her way towards the woman’s lavatory, she saw Miranda walking into her office, and watched her hips sway and her ass move from side to side as the office door closed behind her. _ _

_ I miss that ass already _ , Jack thought to herself.


	4. Tali

“Ummm...come again?” Tali said, nervously as she glared at Jack. Jack was standing there between the elevator and Thane’s room, holding her things, staring at Miranda. Tali knew what she had heard. Jack panicked, and Tali watched as her belongings that were once in her heavily tattooed arms were dropped onto the floor.

“Jesus fucking Christ, what’re you fucking everywhere or something?” Jack was flustered which amused Tali, usually, she was the one who found herself in awkward situations. 

Tali saw Jack’s blush cheeks and watched as her hands trembled as she tried to collect her things from the ground. Tali crouched down to help, while she found Jack’s embarrassment amusing Tali didn’t have a truly mean bone in her body. She unwittingly picked up Jack’s black thong. 

“Sorry...I didn’t mean to scare you, I was just-“ Jack snapped her head up, her eyes first focusing on Tali but then on what she was holding instead. She grabbed her thong from Tali’s three-fingered hand with a swift swipe. 

“Thanks for eavesdropping on me, and getting all touchy-feely with my fucking underwear.” Jack’s voice was a snarl. Tali stood back up, playing with her fingers peevishly. 

“I was just trying to help, don’t worry us Quarian’s don’t even have uhhhh keelah I swear I know the word.” 

Jack looked back up at her, “thongs?” Jack said plainly. 

“Yes...uh thongs.” Tali watched as Jack stood up with her things securely in her hands once more.

“So what do you wear exactly?” Jack asked inquisitively. 

“Well, we just wear our suits, if we wore anything else underneath it would just chafe and cause sweat buildup.” Tali sounded so practical and level headed as if she wasn’t talking about thongs and sweat with Jack the galaxy’s angriest biotic convict. 

Tali noticed Jack was still blushing and decided to break the awkward silence that had built between the two. 

“You know if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you just let me know, keelah I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” Tali watched as a smirk grew on Jack’s face. 

“Anything?” Jack asked.

“Just don’t ask me to start getting tattoos,” Tali said sarcastically. Jack paused briefly, “deal,” she said before walking past Tali into the women’s lavatory. 

Tali didn’t really know what to say, she expected a straight answer, not a mystery. She held her head in her hand crossing her arms. 

“Keelah what did I just get myself into.”


	5. Harbinger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dark transmission from beyond the stars...

“Their attempts are futile. The creature calling itself Shepard is small. We are eternal, we are unstoppable. They will know pain, they will known torment. And then we will show them that our way is better. You are our instrument of salvation through destruction. Our decree is the law and the law is our decree. They exist because we allow it and they will end because we demand it. Saren, Benezia, these creatures have failed us. Our faith was misplaced in the hands of organics still under the sway of hope. Saren ended itself, however we have no end. We are infinite and soon Shepard and his companions will see a starless night; and then they will realize their salvation is inevitable. We are Leviathan, we have no equal. Bring us the girl, and do not fail us or your fate shall be worse, releasing control.”


	6. Miranda

Miranda sat alone at her desk. Her head sat on her crossed arms, the lights in her office off. The only thing illuminating the room was the blue glow of her terminal. The tears she was shedding caught the light as they dripped down her face, as did the glass in her hand. 

“What is wrong with me?” her voice was a hushed whisper. Not so loud as to even be heard while in the same room. It was then that EDI’s voice cut in, quiet and respectful. 

“Miss Lawson, is everything okay? I’ve detected that you are in distress.”

Miranda wiped her eyes with her arm. EDI wasn’t a person, but Miranda felt embarrassed all the same. 

“EDI I’m fine, now leave me be please.” Miranda’s voice was a croaking, broken sounding thing. EDI responded with the cold tone expected of artificial intelligence. 

“I see, goodnight Miss Lawson.” Her avatar left the terminal inside Miranda’s office as quickly as it had entered. Seeing that EDI was gone Miranda resumed her quiet crying. 

It was hard to tell how much time had passed since EDI’s visit, however, after what felt like just moments there was a knock at Miranda’s door. Miranda lifted her head from her arms, sniffling. 

“Go away,” she said to the unwelcome knock at her door. Just then the locked door slid open, revealing Yeoman Kelly Chambers her shadowy frame filling the doorway. 

“EDI woke me up, she said that you might need some help. Is everything okay Miranda?” The yeoman spoke so softly and politely, a beautiful young woman with a beautiful temperament to match. 

Miranda’s head lifted just enough from her arms to look at her with bloodshot eyes. “Locked doors aren’t meant to be opened.” She said it with so much anger, her sobbing barely letting the words leave her mouth. 

Kelly took a few steps into the room the door closing behind her. “Sorry, I guess I wasn’t the best person for an all-access security pass after all.” 

Miranda looked back at her, “I bloody well suppose not, now get out of my room.” Yeoman Chambers stood there in quiet defiance. “Miranda you’re one of the most capable people I know, but you’re still a person. Let me help, please.” Kelly’s voice was soft and respectful. 

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Miranda laid her head back down. Kelly sat down in the chair that sat in front of Miranda’s desk. 

“It’s my job to make sure the crew is running at their peak psychologically. It’s why the Illusive Man assigned me this mission.” Miranda’s arms muffled a laugh. 

“Actually you were assigned by me, pretty ironic now I suppose.” Miranda took a deep breath, “you said it yourself, you’re here professionally not because you actually bloody care so go.” Chambers pinched her nose, frustrated. 

“I didn’t mean it like that, believe me, I care.” Miranda’s head shifted to the side. 

“A pretty sentiment, did they teach you all of this in your psychology classes?” Kelly sat back in her chair, “among other things, yes.” 

Miranda snickered, “you’re pretty shit at it, you don’t bloody know how I feel, so just go back to sleep. I told EDI that I’d be fine and I will be.” 

“It depends, what’s bothering you? Maybe I do know how you feel. You’d be surprised how similar we all are Miranda.” 

Miranda peered into Chamber’s soul, “I’m fucking lonely, are you happy?”

The two sat there in silence for a moment. “I have no real family, I have no mother, and my father is a monster who hunts down a sister that I’ve never even really met. I’m the head of this operation as you well know, Chambers. Which means that the men and women of this crew see me as their boss, not as their friend. The people Shepard has recruited can’t stand me. Even Shepard doesn’t fully trust me. And don’t get me bloody started on love.” 

Kelly sat on her words for a brief moment before cutting the silence. “I see,” she said. 

Miranda responded quickly. “I see? You sound like the bloody AI now. After all of that and ‘I see’ is all you have to say. If that’s all you have, why did you even bother coming down here and harassing me?” 

Kelly placed her hand on top of Miranda’s. “You didn’t let me finish. I understand how you feel. To be alone, to feel like you have nobody. I grew up in foster care until I was seventeen. I never even knew my parents. I’m twenty-six and I still don’t even know their names or if they even ever loved me.” 

Chambers took a deep breath, “everywhere I’ve ever been I’ve felt like I was on my own, except for here with Cerberus and I have you to thank for that Miranda. I’ll always be here for you because of what you’ve done for me. You’re not alone so long as I’m here on this ship with you.” 

Miranda felt Chambers grip her hand tighter. And for the first time tonight Miranda cracked a smile. 

“Here’s my personal Omni-number Miranda, that way you can get ahold of me privately whenever you need me.” Miranda wiped her eyes. 

“Thank you Chambers...I...thank you.” Chambers smiled, her thumb caressing the top of Miranda’s hand.

“Please, call me Kelly."


	7. Tali

Tali’s fingers moved with precision and speed, the ship reacted to her every touch. Gabriella and Donnelly stood aside from her, a fine bunch she thought, talented for humans. She enjoyed the company of those on engineering, even the likes of Zaeed who had decided to look after Tali since joining the Normandy. Even cold-blooded mercenaries have soft spots it would seem. He would tell her stories and bring her food from the mess hall whenever she was working late into the infinite night of space, it was easy to lose track of time when there’s no sunlight.

Then there was Grunt, who despite being the embodiment of violence was surprisingly level headed and sharp. Okeer seemingly built Grunt’s mind as strong as he had built his body. Grunt would even occasionally do some of the heavy lifting required for ship repairs. Picking up hundreds of pounds of steel and wire with ease.

Then there was Jack... Tali didn’t exactly know what to make of Jack. Their encounters thus far had been every bit of awkward as she had expected they might be. And yet despite the awkwardness, there was an underlying sense of curiosity Tali knew she felt towards the former convict. Jack was unlike anybody she had met in the flotilla or out during her time on Pilgrimage. Tali thought about her more than she would like to admit, and couldn’t help but wonder if Jack thought about her too. And then there was the lingering question left in her mind from their last encounter. What did she mean when she asked  _ anything _ ? What does she want from me? Tali had been stressing the answer for two days now. They were nothing alike, what could she possibly want?

Tali suddenly felt her Omni-tool chime, the notification sent a vibration through her arm.  _ Downstairs now, _ the message read. And just then a chill ran through her body and her stomach began to twist into knots. Her foot was tapping the floor.

“Gabriella, Donnelly you two have the deck. I have something I have to take care of.” 

Donnelly waved his hand above his head in recognition. “Aye, aye ma’am.” 

Tali closed out of her terminal and began to make her way towards the stairs that led to Jack’s room. And as she descended the steps her breathing grew faster, as did the beat of her heart. 

Finally, she reached the bottom and saw her there, leaning against a support column her arms crossed waiting like a predator. 

“Hey,” Jack said without much emotion. 

Tali shot back a quick “hey,” in response. 

“I thought you’d pussy out, I’m glad you came down.” Tali laughed releasing some of her nerves. 

“I’ve never known you to be glad that someone wants to talk to you,” Tali said, with a chuckle. 

Jack shrugged her shoulders, “first time for everything.” 

Tali crept a little closer, resting her hand on her hip. “So what did you want to talk about?” Jack lurched her body forward off the support column she was resting on and walked past Tali her back now facing her. 

“I want to see what’s under your suit.” 

Tali was caught completely off guard. “excuse me? You what!?” Tali could hear Jack exhale. 

“Last time we talked you said I could ask for anything, and fucking hell I just want to know what you look like under that suit okay?” 

Tali had her arms crossed, her hand gesturing in the air. “Our suits are sacred, I don’t just take it off for anyone. Our greatest gesture of trust with another Quarian is linking our suit environments. And after talking for ten minutes you want me to just take it off.” 

Tali watched as Jack turned to face her. “Well fuck when you say it like that it makes me sound like an asshole.” 

Tali shook her head, “not happening Jack.” Tali turned around to leave the way she came when she heard Jack speak from behind her. 

“Look I’m sorry alright? What do I need to do?” Tali spun around to see Jack in the shadows and red hues of the room. 

“You don’t understand, it’s not just a sign of trust it’s a sign of intimacy. Even friends don’t know what each other looks like under their suits. We only take them off and link them with our partners.” 

Tali watched as Jack smirked, “who said I wanted to just be friends?”


	8. Miranda

In the artificial twilight of her office, Miranda sat there on her bed awash in the blue glow of her room. And as Kelly spoke she glanced over at her personal terminal, “bloody hell is it really 5 in the morning already?” Miranda watched Kelly summon her Omni-Tool, the orange glow mixed with the blue. 

“5:15 actually, time sure flies doesn’t it?” Kelly said. 

Miranda bit her lip, staring blankly into the distance, her arm resting on her knee as she sat next to Kelly on her bed. “Yeah, I suppose so.” Miranda felt Kelly’s hand rest on her thigh. 

“Hey don’t worry we have all the time in the galaxy to talk. After my shift’s over I’ll stop by, okay?” 

Miranda forced a smile, only the corners of her mouth raised. “Of course, it’s just... strange having a friend for once, having someone to look forward to for once,” Miranda felt Kelly’s weight leave the bed and she looked at her, now standing at its side. 

“Don’t worry Miranda, the ship’s not very big I couldn’t hide from you even if I wanted to.” Miranda heard her giggle and it brought her some happiness of her own. 

“I would be pretty disappointed if I couldn’t find you,” Miranda said as Kelly giggled some more, heading for the door. 

“Get some sleep Miranda, I’ll be back later I promise.” Miranda watched the door slide shut behind her. 

The room was quiet again, just as it had been before Kelly first entered her office. It felt like a lifetime ago now, so much was different now and yet only a few hours had passed. In the silence Miranda now realized that Kelly had made her forget, forget about her father, about the collectors, she made Miranda forget about it all. She wiped her tired eyes, and looked at her hands, covered in black. 

“Fuck!” she let out with a growl. She hurried for her mirror next to the shower. Her face was a mess, her tears from earlier had completely ruined her makeup and her eyes were red and puffy, her hair a tangled mess. 

“God damn it,” she said under her breath. Knowing that for the past however many hours she and Kelly had talked she looked like  _ this _ . 

She turned her shower on, the recycled water burst to life with a roar and the steam began to fill the small room. She needed to clean herself up before her day started, nobody would respect her in her current state. She was amazed that Kelly did respect her this way; it only made her appreciate the yeoman even more than she already did. 

The water running down her skin woke Miranda up, it was early and she had a trying night. The shock of her shower’s water was exactly what she felt she needed. The warm water clung to her in a glossy sheet, the lights from her bathroom refracted across her skin. The makeup that had been smeared across her face now began to trickle down her breasts with the water that carried it. She sat down, the shower wasn’t very large but neither was she, her back was against the wall as she sighed. 

“A friend? What was I thinking, friends get killed...” She wiped the water that had been streaming down her face away from her. 

“Maybe I was better off alone, after all, it’s probably all bullshit. Just her doing her job.” The water continued to rain as she stared out past her feet and into the frosted glass of her shower. 

She leaned her head back against the wall, the water now falling directly on to her face. She exhaled like she was blowing out the smoke of a cigarette. 

“Or maybe it’s not all bullshit...”


	9. Jack

Jack grinned with a toothy smirk, “who said I wanted to just be friends?” She could see Tali react in shock, not even her suit could hide her surprise. 

“You- you what?” Tali’s voice was soft as she spoke. 

“Oh come on don’t act like that, look I’ve been thinking about you lately. It’s kind of fucked, I usually only think about shooting things... I don’t like it.” 

Tali leaned against the wall, catching herself with her arm. “So you hate thinking about me, but you want to be together?” 

Jack rubbed the back of her neck, “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that feelings are weird okay? I’m not used to feeling this way. I like you, and I just wanted you to know.” Jack exhaled, “I wanted to know if you felt that way too.” Jack watched as Tali held her head in her hand, gesturing with the other. 

“We’ve barely even talked, how could yo-“ Jack cut her off. 

“Look you’ve heard Shepard, this mission is a suicide run. There’s no guarantee we come back. There’s no time to fucking play hard to get.” Jack stood up, she started pacing. “I’ve seen you around the ship, we haven’t talked much but I know when I’m into someone okay?” 

Tali shifted her weight away from the wall, her hand was on her hip now. “But why me?” 

Jack shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno, maybe I just like the way your ass looks.”

Tali laughed, “oh?” She cooed, as she made her way closer to Jack. Jack felt Tali’s hand against her cheek. 

“I need to think about this...just give me some time okay?” 

Jack grabbed Tali’s forearm, “just... just don’t take all fucking week okay? You’re hot, but I can’t wait forever.” Jack felt Tali’s hand leave her face. 

“No promises,” Tali said, Jack swore she could see her wink under that helmet of hers.


	10. Miranda

“A fish...?” Miranda said, standing in front of the shop’s display, it’s array of lights shining on her face in a cascade of colors. 

“Yeah! What’s so wrong with wanting a fish?” Kelly said, giddy over the sight of varying species both from Earth and abroad.

“Where would you even keep it?” Miranda said.

Kelly turned her head left to face Miranda’s “in a tank?” 

Miranda exhaled and held her head in her hand pinching her nose. “You’re unbelievable, we’re here to get supplies, not fish.”

Kelly turned around and walked away from the store’s display, leaving Miranda behind. “You’re no fun.” Kelly said, dull and flat. 

Miranda quickly turned around, she could see Kelly walking away from her, “I’m just practical, I might be your boss, but Shepard is mine. If he finds out I spent money on fish and not on medi-gel, he’ll kill me.” 

Miranda watched as Kelly turned back to face her. Kelly was so beautiful she thought, her smile especially. To snuff it out hurt Miranda. 

“I know, you’re just doing your job. I shouldn’t be mad at you. I just... I just wanted to pretend like we weren’t at war for a minute.” 

Miranda crossed her arms, “Well we are at war, pretending we’re not wont solve anything. This is childish and you know it.” 

Miranda watched as Kelly stared back at her in silence, her lip starting to quiver. Miranda felt like Kelly was staring right into her soul. She regretted what she said immediately, it made her feel ugly. 

Miranda could see that tears were welling up inside her eyes. “I’m sorry I shouldn-“ Miranda stopped as she watched Kelly turn away from her. All Miranda could do was watch as she walked out of the store, and into the hustle and bustle of the Citadel’s streets. 

Miranda stood there in silence for a moment staring out into the streets. The store was electric with activity. The shop was as diverse and crowded as the Citadel itself, and yet Miranda never felt more alone than at this very moment.

Miranda was startled as the shopkeeper, a massive Elcor announced himself to her. “Uncontainable glee, welcome to my shop. Is there anything I can help you find today?” 

Miranda stared up at the massive alien. She paused in thought once more, now looking at her feet as she exhaled in defeat, running her hand down her face. “What kind of fish do you have?”


	11. Kelly

Kelly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. C-Sec wouldn’t take kindly to seeing Cerberus operatives wandering the streets, so civilian clothing was standard on shore leave.  
Kelly never understood the hatred leveled against Cerberus, the salarians had STG, how was Cerberus any different? Both looked out for themselves, both used unconventional methods. Yet STG was celebrated and Cerberus was vilified. 

The only reason the Normandy was even allowed to dock at all was due to Shepard’s Spectre status. Even then the ship was always under intense scrutiny, armed C-Sec guards at all times monitoring them. It was difficult to hide when a massive Cerberus symbol was painted on the sides of your ship. 

Kelly loved being out of uniform, it gave her a chance to feel normal no matter for how briefly. No reapers, no collectors, just another day spent shopping. And now as the tears rolled down her face, all Kelly could think of was how Miranda took that illusion away from her. That’s all she had wanted, a brief respite from the stress of saving the galaxy. A galaxy that didn’t want to believe, a galaxy that didn’t want to be saved. Kelly was tasked with monitoring the mental state of all those on board the Normandy, yet nobody was assigned to help her when she needed it. Lately Miranda had been that person for her. Kelly respected Miranda more than anyone else on that ship, which is what made it hurt. All she had wanted to do was to spend a day, one single day with Miranda out on the town. But no, Kelly thought to herself, we need medi-gel instead. 

Kelly didn’t know where she was going, she just knew that she needed to be away from her for awhile. Kelly marveled at the Citadel, it’s size, it’s culture it was all so amazing to her. Kelly had never been before, she’d heard stories, watched vids but nothing prepared for the sheer scale, as she looked out a window. She couldn’t help but get lost in the purple, pink glow of the nebula outside. 

She stood there for a moment, contemplating what to do with the rest of her day, daydreaming as she looked upon the massive arms of the Citadel imagining what all those other people were doing at this very moment. Kelly’s attention quickly changed to a reflection in the glass, a purple shape of light. She turned her head to find its source and she quickly found it, a giant sign hanging from the wall. “Chora’s Den,” she read aloud to herself. A drink sounded like the perfect thing, she needed to clear her head and a glass of vodka sounded more appealing than crying in the streets. 

She passed some market stalls on her way towards the club, a salarian, a turian and even a volus shopkeeper. She could hear the turian arguing with a customer about some return policy. She quickly found her way past them though and entered into the large causeway. To her right was a red lit alley, she could only imagine what shady dealings went on in there. Looking back towards the club however, she could see people of all races socializing outside. There was even a pack of Vorcha. Passing by them, they snarled and snapped at her, but she quickly found her way past them and inside of the club. 

Her troubles quickly left her as the glow of purple and pink neon lights illuminated her, and the music booming through the club filled her ears. The club was full of beautiful asari dancers, clad in skimpy golden bodysuits. Kelly watched their bodies grinding against their poles. Shaking their beautiful blue asses and strutting the catwalk that raised above the bar in their heels. The bar looked as well stocked as the club’s dancers. All the alcohol she could afford. It was all enough to cheer anyone up, she thought to herself. 

A beautiful asari bartender greeted her at the counter, “Well aren’t you cute?” The asari said with a giggle. “What can I get for you?” 

A smile found its way across Kelly’s face. She couldn’t help but practically drool over the woman she was talking to. A beautiful woman, her skin more pale than any asari she’d ever seen before, it was almost green. 

The dancers above them paled in comparison, so why was she here working the bar and not the pole? And there was something about her eyes Kelly thought to herself, something special and inviting. Whatever it was, her beauty and the questions Kelly already had in her mind intrigued her. 

“I’ll take a Thessian Temple please.” Kelly said, still fixated on the woman in front of her. 

The bartender nodded with a smile and began to assemble the drink. “So polite, never seen you around here before. I’d remember if I had. What’s a cute girl like you doing down here alone? Bad breakup? I can always tell.” 

Kelly’s smile left her face as she tapped her fingers on the counter, “no, nothing like that it’s just...it was just a dumb argument I had with a friend.” 

The asari slid Kelly’s drink towards her, a tall glass filled with a spiral of pink and purple. The asari propped up her elbow onto the counter her chin resting on her hand. “You seem pretty worked up over it, sure he’s just a friend?” Kelly felt like the asari was staring straight into her soul with those eyes of hers. 

Kelly took a sip and a shudder ran through her body as she coughed from the alcoholic sting. “It’s a her actually...” 

The asari smiled, “Ah I see, like women do we? Didn’t take you for that kind of girl. I don’t blame you. Men don’t compare, especially not to you.” 

Kelly giggled, “I wouldn’t say I’m any particular kind of girl. I’m just me. And like I said, her and I, we’re just friends.” 

The bartender laughed, “that’s good to hear, I was afraid I might have some competition to steal you away from.” 

Kelly smiled, the flirting and alcohol were starting to get to her. She giggled before taking another sip from her drink. Each sip going down easier than the last. “I’m sure you can do better than me.” 

The asari stood back up straight, looking down on Kelly, she crossed her arms. “Maybe tonight I don’t want to do better than you.” Her voice felt like it was leaking into Kelly’s mind, her words, her tone, it was more intoxicating than her drink. 

Kelly blushed, “I’m Kelly by the way.” 

The asari smiled, looking deep into Kelly’s eyes once more, “you can call me Morinth.”


	12. Tali

“So... what do you want to do? We have forty-eight hours before we leave the Citadel.” Tali asked, looking at Jack standing there. The green and blue glow of an advertisement behind Jack wrapped her in its light. Tali appreciated Jack’s honesty with what she wanted. Jack was right time really was short, knowing what she wanted allowing for Tali to appreciate the little things. Like how sexy Jack’s ass looked with that light shining across her. Which to be fair her ass wasn’t little at all. Tali giggled at the thought. 

“What’s so fucking funny? I didn’t even say anything.” She was so cute Tali thought, even when she was mad. Which seemed to be quite often. 

“Oh nothing, I was just daydreaming.” Tali did that a lot truthfully, especially around Jack. Things were moving fast it was true, but life constantly on the move in the migrant fleet and the circumstances of the mission justified it in Tali’s mind. Tali knew she really liked this girl, Jack made her feel safe and wanted. That’s all the reason she needed, there was no time to play hard to get. Everyone needs to let off some steam, and everybody needs a reason to make it out of this mission alive. If Jack was to be that reason then so be it, that was as good of a reason as any she could think of. 

“You’re fucking weird,” Jack said, cutting into Tali’s thoughts like a knife cutting into a cake. Tali didn’t mind the insults, she knew enough about Jack to realize that most of her insults weren’t meant to be taken seriously. Jack was bad with articulating how she felt, and Tali knew it. Probably from all of the years of horrible abuse she suffered. So Tali took it all in stride. 

“You like me because I’m weird.” Tali shot back coy, her hand on her hip. 

Jack shrugged her shoulders, “I like you because you’re hot.” 

Tali laughed, “you’ve never even seen what I look like!” 

Jack smirked that evil little smile that Tali knew too well at this point. “I see what you look like inside my head all the time actually. All of the options are pretty fucking hot Quarian.” 

Jack couldn’t see her face, but Tali was smirking too. “Really think of me that much do you? I’m flattered, Jack.” 

Jack crossed her arms, “yeah it’s kind of fucking annoying sometimes.” 

Tali laughed, “it can't be that bad, you keep coming back.” 

Tali watched Jack start to pace, gesturing with her hands. “I just want to know if it’s a dick, or if it’s a pussy.” 

Tali crossed her arms, “maybe it’s both.” 

Tali saw her stop in place, “Stop torturing me like that. You’re evil, fucker.” 

Tali walked towards the massive sheet of clear glass to her left. She could see a whole world out there, the Citadel never failed to impress. No matter how many times she visited. “Look at it, all these people, all these places to see.” Her eyes scanned across the arms of the Citadel, a glow of purple and shimmer of lights reflecting in the mask of her helmet. “Isn’t it beautiful?” 

She felt Jack’s hand wrap around the left side of her hip. It startled her, it was the first time Jack had ever touched her, and it made her heart stop in its tracks, it froze her in place. Jack flanked Tali to her right, looking out the window now too. 

“I don’t need to look out of this dirty ass window and stare at a space station to see something beautiful.” Tali watched as Jack shook her head, she could hear her click her tongue as if she had finally arrived at some conclusion. 

Tali watched Jack turn her head to face her. She really is beautiful, Tali thought to herself. “The only dirty ass window I need to look through to see something beautiful is this one.” Jack tapped on the glass of Tali’s face mask with her fingers, leaving a faint fingerprint. It made Tali flinch, yet it was probably the most romantic thing she had ever heard Jack say to her. She watched as Jack walked away from her and the window, towards a transit terminal. 

“Come on, we’ve got forty-eight hours to kill. And I want to fuck some shit up.”


	13. Jack

“This is your idea of a good time?” Jack asked, looking at Tali in the sterile artificial sunlight of the presidium. Jack watched as she leaned over the railing that surrounded the lake, a giant Krogan statue jutting out of the water proudly. 

“This place is beautiful Jack, we spend all day in a loud cramped ship. I want to stretch my legs a little, see something that’s not grey for once.” Tali almost made it all sound so good. Embassies, parks, lakes, these weren’t things Jack was used to; and she didn’t want to get used to them either, she preferred the dark streets and slimy alleys. 

“Think there’s fish in there?” Jack asked, not out of true curiosity. Instead, because she wanted to satisfy Tali’s desire to sightsee, play along with just being a tourist. 

Jack watched as Tali leaned off of the railing to turn around and face her. “You hate this don’t you?” Jack was sitting on one of the many marble white steps that led down to the walkway that surrounded the bank of the lake. 

“I don’t hate this, I'm just not used to being a tourist,” Jack said, looking down at Tali from the steps. Her arms crossed, resting on her knees as she sat. “I spent the past two fucking years locked inside of an icebox waiting for someone to buy me. Before that, I spent the past twenty years of my life running away from Cerberus. Now I kill monsters for them. Nowhere in those twenty-two years did I have time to fucking sightsee with my Quarian girlfriend.” Jack said, louder and more angrily than she had wanted. “Shit, I didn’t mean to yell, but you know what I mean.”

Jack saw her down there, her front foot now resting on the very bottom step of the stairs looking back up at her. 

“I’m your girlfriend now, am I?” Jack blushed, looking down at her own boots, she couldn’t look Tali in the eyes. 

“I… god damn it, you know what I meant.” Jack’s eyes looked back up briefly, waiting for a response, a denial. Instead, she watched as Tali walked up the steps towards her before finally sitting down next to her. She still couldn’t bear to look at her, instead, she looked out across the blue shimmer of the lake. Jack could see clear across to the other shore, children, couples, _ they all looked so happy _ she thought. Jack felt Tali rest her hand on top of her thigh. 

“I know exactly what you meant, and I mean it too.” Jack could feel a cold chill run through her body, she felt sick. 

“I fucked up, one of us,” Jack took a deep breath looking up towards the artificial sky. “One of us is going to get killed, hell maybe we’ll both get killed, and it’s going to fucking suck.” Jack felt Tali’s hand squeeze tighter. “Promise me that you won’t leave me in this fucking galaxy all alone.” A tear ran down her cheek, falling onto the white pavement as she looked towards Tali. 

Tali looked across the water just like Jack had moments before. “You know I can’t promise that. Keelah I wish that I could, but we’re fighting reapers.” Jack looked down at the ground between her legs, more tears leaving their stains on it as they landed. “I know,” Jack said in a reserved whisper. 

“I can promise you this though, no matter where you are, no matter what happens to me, I'll be there too,” Tali said, looking at Jack her hand now intertwined with hers. 

“I really hate this fucking war, you know that?” Jack said.

“I know me too,” Tali said in a hushed agreement. “I don’t think the war has made it to the markets yet. I have some ideas I think you’ll like, coming with?” 

Jack wiped her eyes with her arm, fingers still locked with Tali’s. “Sounds more exciting than sitting here having a fucking pity party, I’m in.” 


	14. Tali

“You know, when you said that I would like where you were taking me I didn’t imagine a drug store,” Jack said standing next to Tali as her eyes scanned across the shelves in front of her, kneeling down to get a better look. 

“Ah-ha! There you are,” Tali exclaimed. Talking to herself, paying little mind to Jack. “Immuno-booster multi-vitamins, extra strength.” 

Jack crossed her arms, “uh, catch a cold or something?”

Tali looked back towards Jack, “no, not yet. And if all goes well, that’s all that I’ll catch.” 

Jack laughed, “okay what the fuck, you’re _ trying _ to catch… wait a minute, this isn’t for what I think it's for is it?” Tali could hear the desperate excitement in her voice, like a kid waiting to unwrap a gift. 

“It is, so while we’re here in the markets I’d recommend you find anything you think we might… need.” Tali could see Jack’s eyes widened, a smile from ear to ear across her face. 

Then suddenly behind her, Tali saw a familiar face come into view. Navigating the store looking lost. “Miranda?” Tali called out, her voice high pitched. 

Tali watched as Miranda sighed, “God damn it, hi Tali, Jack. Nice medicine I see you two have some nice plans for tonight,” Miranda said, equal parts frustrated and surprised to see them. Tali could feel herself blush underneath her mask, she knew Miranda was smart but there truly was hiding nothing from her.

Jack spoke before Tali could, “nice fish, wait... why the fuck do you have a fish? And fucking hell, what’s that thing on its head?”

Miranda pinched her nose, her hand resting on her other bicep. “It’s… it’s for a friend. She, I mean he wanted a fish, it’s not any of your business really.” 

Tali looked back towards Miranda, her bright white uniform reflecting the light of the store. “Your friend wanted an angler fish?”

“You have friends?” Jack asked, quickly following up Tali’s. 

Miranda stood there wiping her face with her hand out of frustration. “First of all, I'm not a fish expert, it’s what the damn Elcor shopkeep sold me. Secondly  _ yes _ I do, and I've wasted enough time here talking to you bloody idiots. I have to go find them, have fun, fucking or whatever.” Tali watched as she marched out of the store, and down the street. 

Tali turned to face Jack, “she really  _ does _ have a great ass doesn’t she?” 

Tali could see her blushing, “yeah she, uh really does…” Jack said not looking at the ground as she spoke, rubbing the back of her neck.

“You _ didn’t,”  _ Tali said, watching as Jack turned away from her in embarrassment. The store’s faint pink glow casting itself across her. “I need details!” Tali exclaimed, like a school girl drooling over some new juicy gossip. “And no, before you ask I’m not angry, I’m just a little horny now is all.” 

Tali could hear Jack let out a deep pent up breath. “Like two weeks ago she came down to my room wanting to apologize for some dumb shit she had said earlier.” Tali watched as Jack turned around, now facing her in the secluded isle. “I knew it was bullshit, she didn’t want to apologize, Shepard made her. I called that bitch out on it, and we started fighting.” Jack laughed, “I was about to murder that fucking idiot.” Jack passed by Tali, resting on a nearby bench that sat behind her inside the isle. Tali watched as she tapped her palm on the space next to her beckoning her to join. Tali followed her command, sitting next to her. “I thought you said you two fucked?” Tali asked. Jack laughed, looking up at the ceiling. “We did but that was after l I told her to fuck off and leave. Of course, the cheerleader didn’t fucking listen.”


	15. Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some time ago...

“No,” Miranda said defiantly, Jack staring back at her. She was wrapped in the shadows and red glow of the room, her curvy figure barely even visible if not for her white suit glowing pink in the reflected light. 

“What did you say, you _ stupid little bitch _ ?” Jack asked gritting her teeth, the purple hues of her biotics traveling up her arms. 

“I said no, I don’t want to fight Jack. Just listen to me, for one bloody second!” Miranda yelled, desperate for Jack to come to her senses. 

Jack sent out a biotic blast, however, it was aimed at the side of her. Impacting the wall above her cot, leaving a dent in it. “talk,” Jack snarled like a rabid dog. 

“Look I'm sorry okay? You’re right, I can't defend what they did to you. Even if they didn’t represent all of Cerberus they still wore the badge. I’m sorry, I wish I had known about it, I would have stopped it.” Jack’s hands dimmed, the firey purple giving way to a lighter and cooler shade of blue. As she began to let go of her rage. “You’ve been a valuable asset to this team, and we’ve accomplished things that would have been impossible without your help. Your retrieval of Grunt with Shepard and Garrus, in particular, comes to mind. Even when we don’t get along, which is bloody well all the time, I’m still thankful that you’re here with us.”

Jack’s arms glowed no more, “Shepard’s too much of an asshole to make you say that. Not bad as far as shitty apologies go.” 

Jack watched as Miranda crossed her arms, leaning slightly in towards her as she spoke, “I'm not used to giving them.”

Jack laughed walking towards her closing the distance that had grown between the two. “Well, don’t I feel fucking special cheerleader,” Jack spoke in a soft and seductive whisper, now face to face with Miranda. 

Before Miranda could say anything in response Jack lunged at her, the two locking lips as the force of Jack’s weight pressed Miranda’s back to the wall; the two tumbling out of the shadows and into the red glow of the room. 

For a moment their lips separated, a thin trail of spit still linking the two as their mouths pulled apart. “What the bloody hell are you doing!?” Miranda shouted. 

Jack’s hands slid down Miranda’s hips feeling the perfect curves of her body. “What’s it look like I'm doing? You wanted to  _ make me feel better, _ but you’re pretty shitty at apologies. So I had a better idea.”

Miranda scoffed, turning her head towards the stairs before looking back into Jack’s eyes. “Has it ever occurred to you that  _ maybe,  _ I don’t want to be a part of your  _ better idea. _ ”

Jack shrugged her shoulders, “not really, you mean to tell me with the entire galaxy at stake, all of that stress. That you don’t want to blow off a little fucking steam?” 

Jack watched as Miranda scoffed once more, barely two inches away from her face, close enough to hear the faintest of whispers. “Fine, but tell anybody and I swear I'll put a bullet in your head.”

Jack smiled, “you’re sexy when you’re angry, don’t worry cheerleader who would I tell, Tali?” 

Jack looked into Miranda’s eyes, “now come here.”

Their lips met once again, Jack could feel Miranda’s arms wrap around her neck as Miranda rested her arms onto Jack’s shoulders as if it were a dance. Jack’s hands ran across Miranda’s body, quickly finding their way to her ass grabbing ahold of it. Their tongues danced inside their mouths, twisting into a spiral of ecstasy amidst the red glow of the room. Even through Miranda’s uniform, Jack could feel the perfectly engineered and toned muscles underneath. 

“Let’s get you out of this thing, I want to see what’s underneath,” Jack said, coy and playful.

Miranda leaned into Jack’s ear, Jack could feel her breath against her neck, it sent a shiver down her spine. “Only the best Jack, be careful, you might not want anything else after.” Miranda pulled back, giving Jack a wink as she did, her hand moving to her zipper undoing her suit. Jack helped her by pulling the top away, revealing a gorgeous black lace bra. 

Jack’s eyes scanned up and down Miranda’s body. “Fuck you’re a sexy little bitch aren't you?” Jack asked, not so loud as for anyone but Miranda to hear. “You always wear this stuff underneath this suit of yours?”

Jack watched as Miranda cracked a devilish smile, “only during sensitive missions that require my  _ full _ set of skills.” 

“You’re fucking hot cheerleader,” Jack leaned in pressing her against the wall once more, kissing her neck. Miranda raised her arms above her head, grabbing at the wall with her nails. Jack ran one of her hands over Miranda’s pussy still covered by the bottom half of her suit. Jack could still feel how warm it was as she ran her fingers across it. Twirling her hand in a circular motion, massaging Miranda’s clit as she kissed her neck. Jack gave her neck a soft bite, before pinching Miranda’s earlobe between her teeth and whispering in her ear. “On the bed, now I won't ask twice.” 

Miranda let out a soft moan, “you’re sexy when you’re pushy Jack.” 

Jack let go of Miranda, allowing her to walk towards her cot. Jack watched as Miranda grabbed her zipper once more, finally unwrapping her entire body.  _ She was the sexiest woman she had ever seen _ Jack thought to herself. Her beautiful curves were accentuated by the red light, which gave her smooth pale skin a pink glow. Her back was to Jack, a black G string running its way down her ass; Jack watched as Miranda pulled it down around her ankles, throwing it to the side of the room along with her bra. She crawled onto the cot. Jack could see Miranda’s ass spread apart with each step across her cot, revealing a beautifully plump pussy that glistened in the light from her wetness. As well as a tight, and beautifully smooth asshole that Jack gawked at. Jack looked on as Miranda finally stopped, kicking her leg into the air to flip herself onto her back, spreading her legs.

“Well? What are you waiting for, come teach me a lesson, Jack.” Miranda’s voice was soft and infectious. Jack knew she would have followed any command Miranda had given her, she was fortunate then that Miranda seemed like the submissive type. Jack made her way towards Miranda, taking off her own clothes as she did. Truthfully there wasn’t much to remove, a poor excuse for a shirt that was really just a leather strap and her cargo pants as well as a thong. She knew Miranda was watching intently as she disrobed, revealing her own body to the Cerberus officer. Her body was nothing like Miranda’s, while Miranda had clear pale skin and a curvy figure Jack was lean, tanned and covered in tattoos. Miranda had locks of raven-colored hair that draped down her body and flawlessly smooth pussy. Jack, on the other hand, had a rough, shaved head with a thick brown bush sitting atop hers. However, self-conscious Jack felt it was immediately drowned out by the sight of Miranda’s spread legs, seeing her perfectly smooth and pink pussy that sat between them. Jack leaned further into the bed, resting her head between Miranda’s legs kissing down them as she was pulled deeper into her before finally, her kissing led her to Miranda’s clit. Jack’s tongue ran across it, she could hear Miranda let out a soft moan.  _ She tasted amazing  _ Jack thought to herself, as her tongue continued to caress the lips of Miranda’s clit, her cum covering Jack’s face and the cover of her cot. Jack’s hands gripped tightly around Miranda’s legs as she continued to eat her out. Before freeing one of them to massage Miranda’s clit with. Her tongue, her fingers it was all too much for Miranda to bear. She gripped the pillow behind her head tightly, her other hand gripping the top of Jack’s head.

“Fuck! I’m going to!” Miranda let out in intense pleasure as Jack continued to eat her pussy. Jack could feel the convulsions running down Miranda’s body as she came, plunging two fingers deep inside of her to finish the job. 

Miranda let out a deep breath and was about to speak before Jack cut her off by climbing on top of her, kissing her with the taste of her Miranda’s own cum still fresh in her mouth. Jack pulled away, now looking down on Miranda, her legs on both sides of her body pinning her hands to the bed. “I think I finally found a way to shut you up cheerleader.” 

Miranda was still panting, recovering. “Fucking hell Jack, that… that was amazing.”

Jack snickered, “oh we’re not even close to being done yet, cheerleader...” 

“Then what happened!?” Tali said desperately, snapping Jack out of her memory and her telling of her story. 

“Fuck, don’t worry I'll tell you the rest. Just not in the middle of a drug store.” A horrified Salarian looking at them both as he held a bottle of pills in his hand. Jack sat up, now looking back down at Tali. “Come on let's finish shopping I've got some ideas for things to get. When we get back to the Normandy I'll tell you all about how I fucked the cheerleader.” 

Jack watched as Tali scoffed standing up with her, “fine, but just so you know you’re actually the worst.”

Jack snickered, “I know.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week has been a lot of hard work. I bought a new computer and had to transfer all of my files to it, but it allows me to write much more easily now. I also feel like I have a good grasp on the formatting of this site, so in addition to the new chapters, I also re-formatted every previous chapter so that they all fit and are a better read. Exciting things to come for our story, and I'm so excited to share. As always, thanks for reading!


	16. Miranda

As Miranda left the drugstore, her thoughts were torn between finding Kelly and whatever those two idiots were up to. Kelly was a big girl, Miranda knew that. But she needed to find her and apologize, waiting for her to return to the Normandy would just make it seem like she didn’t care. Besides Miranda needed to get rid of this stupid fish, carrying it around annoyed her as it splashed around inside of its clear blue container. And of course, she would run into Jack while holding a fish like a lost tourist. 

And  _ what were those two talking about anyways _ ? Miranda wondered to herself, the pill bottle that Tali was holding made it seem obvious but  _ really,  _ Jack and Tali?  _ Those two couldn't be more unlike each other _ . All of these thoughts consumed Miranda’s mind as she strayed aimlessly down the street, crowds of humans and aliens alike flanking her on both sides, surrounding her. 

Miranda needed to find Kelly, she already called the Normandy, EDI reported she wasn’t on board, things, of course, couldn’t be that simple. Unfortunately, the design of the Citadel hampered any attempt for EDI to remotely locate her with a biomarker either. The tangle of electronics, signals traveling through the air and just the strange design of the Citadel itself alone prevented an exact fix on her location.

EDI was, however, able to narrow Kelly’s location to a single block, the rest, was up to Miranda. She had already cleared half of it, drugstore filled with Quarians and angry half-naked biotics included. All that was left were the lower markets and a nightclub,  _ Chora’s Den _ they called it. It was her best lead. Miranda didn’t expect Kelly to be hanging around such a shady spot. 

Miranda began to make her way through the markets, her eyes scanning every corner as to not miss a single face. She thought about calling out Kelly’s name, but the loud hustle and bustle of the markets would drown out any attempt. Plenty of shoppers, none of them Kelly. Nearing the end of the markets Miranda could see the door leading to Chora’s Den, an enormous neon sign giving it away. The door slid open, revealing a massive walkway that formed a box, hollow in the middle, dropping down for what seemed like miles. Skycars zipping past underneath, the sound of their exhaust melting with the muffled sound of music emanating from the nightclub. 

“So this is it,” Miranda commented to herself, sizing the spot up in her mind. Miranda noticed a dark alleyway that stood between the door and the club. 

“Here little guy, I’ll be right back.” Miranda placed the fish and its plastic container on the ground behind a wall. 

She made her way towards the entrance, passing by plenty of clubbers as she did. Just as she was about to pass through the door, a drunk bumped into her.

“Well, well, well look at you, let a guy buy you a drink?” the man smelled awful, and more importantly was getting in her way.

“Not a bloody chance, now get out of my way before I throw you down that hole.” Miranda’s voice was calm and cold, it made her threat sound all that much scarier.

“ _ Fine,  _ you fucking bitch, you don’t know what you’re missing.” the man said, slurring his words.

Miranda knew all she was missing was time, time that could be spent finding Kelly. She was finally able to make her way inside. The beat pounded at her ears, and she was instantly sucked into a world of neon as she passed through the doorway past the Turian bouncer and his red lensed visor. Miranda knew he was staring, they always do. This was a place for staring, after all. Half-naked Asari dancers dotted the club as far as Miranda could see, their gold bodysuits flashing reflections of the club’s bright lights. 

Miranda made her way towards the bar finding a human working it, she had fiery red hair that fell past her shoulders, and her eyes were a brilliant emerald green surrounded by dark and smokey makeup. Miranda noticed she wore the same outfit as the rest of the dancers, a golden body suit with holes cut to expose their moneymakers. 

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked, Miranda couldn’t place her accent. She must have been from Earth, possibly the U.K. it was hard to tell, the last time Miranda visited Earth she was seven. 

“No drinks tonight, I’m looking for a friend. How come you’re working the bar? You must be one of the dancers.” 

Miranda watched as the woman smiled, “I’m covering someone’s shift, the other girl Morinth usually has the bar.”

“So how come you’re here then?” Miranda, asked her eyes shifting around.

“Asked me to do her a favor, she took a pretty stunning looking girl with her into one of the private lounges. Red hair like mine, cute smile too, really drunk. Said she’d be a few minutes.” 

Miranda looked around carefully, scanning the room for the lounge area. “You didn’t happen to hear the other girl’s name, did you? I’m looking for my friend, she’s wearing a black hoodie.”

The bartender shook her head as she began to clean out a glass with a rag, “didn’t catch her name, but that does sound like her. Here’s a pass for the lounge, maybe she's still in there, the other girl’s an Asari. Trust me they’re hard to miss.”

Miranda accepted the pass from her hand, “thanks, and here’s this.” Miranda slid the girl a few credits in return.

The lounge wasn’t too hard to find, Miranda just looked for where all of the half-naked Asari women congregated. She held the keycard to the terminal and watched as the door opened in front of her, inside was a long, narrow, dark red-lit hallway, rows of curtained doorways on each side. Now Miranda just had to figure out which room Kelly was in. As she walked further down the hallway, the sounds of moans and giggles grew louder. 

Miranda peaked past the first curtain she came across, empty except for a pole. She crept further into the haze of red, a couple burst out of the next doorway, an Asari and a Turian, both eyeing her up. They nearly rubbed shoulders the hallway was so narrow. Miranda could feel his three digited hand slap her ass as he passed. If she wasn’t busy searching for Kelly she would have put a bullet in his head for that. Instead, she marched on pulling aside the curtain to the next room before her, inside was another dancer, this one human, and her customer, a massive Krogan. 

The Krogan leaned forward out of his seat, “you must be the other dancer, heh, I see I got my money’s worth.” Miranda took a single step back and the Krogan seized Miranda’s arm. The rooms were small, small enough for him to close the distance before she could leave. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” The Krogan spoke in a gruff voice, the reds of his slitted eyes staring at her. Miranda felt him pull her into the room, the force of his arm nearly ripping her own out of its socket, she landed on the couch inside. The other woman gasped in surprise, now sitting next to each other Miranda could see that she was afraid.

“I’m not a bloody dancer, now get out of my way before you regret it.” The Krogan blocked the doorway smiling.

“I like a girl that plays hard to get, just means I get to have more  _ fun _ .” The Krogan moved towards her, his massive frame taking up the bulk of the room.

“Right, I see you can’t be reasoned with,” Miranda said, quietly as if she were talking to herself. She pulled out her pistol, a Carnifax model hand cannon pointing it directly between the Krogan’s eyes. “Not asking again, out of my way.”

The Krogan snickered, “do you know who I am?”

“A dead man if you don’t move out of my way, Krogan.”

With a brief pause, the Krogan finally made way for Miranda to walk out, “heh, fine, but you’ll be sorry. I  _ always  _ get what I want.” 

Miranda strolled back into the hallway, her pistol aimed at the Krogan as she walked past, “I’m sure you do.” 

Miranda continued her search, the Krogan now behind her watching as she continued clearing rooms. Nearing the end of the hall she could hear giggling, Miranda knew that laugh. She rushed down the hallway throwing aside the curtain.

“Kelly I’ve… what the  _ hell _ are you doing!?” Looking into the room she watched as a naked Asari straddled Kelly on the room’s black leather couch. 

The Asari smiled as she spoke, looking over her shoulder as she did. Miranda could only see the side of her face, and the corner of her smile. She ran her hands across Kelly’s chest as she spoke. “You must be Kelly’s friend Miranda, she told me  _ all  _ about you. I see she didn’t lie, you  _ are  _ gorgeous.” 

“And you must be Morinth, I’m glad you think so, unfortunately for you, she’s coming home with me. Come on Kelly let’s go.” Kelly didn’t respond, she just stared at Morinth smiling.

“Why leave, why not come join us?” Morinth’s voice hung in the air, creeping inside of Miranda’s mind. 

“I don’t want to… I can’t, look we don’t have time.” Miranda’s mind felt muddled and confused, she blinked her eyes rapidly, as if to see if she were awake or not. 

Miranda watched as Morinth crawled off of Kelly, the two now laying side by side in the curve of the couch naked. “You know you want this Miranda, you know you want  _ me _ .”

Miranda held the side of her head in her hand, Morinth’s words crept deep inside her mind, made her feel warm and safe. “I… what are…”

“ _ Don’t _ fight it, Miranda, don’t fight  _ me _ . I always get what I want, and tonight I want you two, Kelly’s enjoying herself, why can’t you?” Morinth reached out her hand towards Miranda, with a twisted smile. 

Miranda hesitantly reached out hers in response, her arm shaking as she did, before finally locking fingers. 

“Good girl, now... come here…” Morinth said with a purr.


	17. Miranda

Miranda felt the Asari pulling her towards her, their fingers locked. 

“Good girl, now… come here…” 

Miranda smiled, before unleashing a biotic push against Morinth, sending her crashing against the wall, it’s concrete buckling and cracking from the blast as Morinth’s back and head slammed into it. Morinth looked back in shock, blood ran down her nose. Miranda drew her pistol centering it between Morinth’s eyes. 

“How… how did you resist.” Morinth asked as she began to cough up blood.

“The Illusive Man and Cerberus trained me to recognize and resist reaper indoctrination, do you really think an Ardat-Yakshi had any chance?”

Miranda saw Morinth’s eyes widen even further, “how do you know what I am?” Morinth’s voice sounding wet from all the blood she was losing. 

“I’m a Cerberus leader Morinth, it’s my  _ job  _ to know things. There are only four known species with the ability to indoctrinate others, Reapers, Thorians, Rachni, and Asari Ardat-Yakshi. Once I felt your pull I knew exactly what I was dealing with.”

Morinth began to laugh blood spurting as she did, it was a sick sound that hung on the air. “So you’re smart, now what?”

Miranda unleashed a round from her hand cannon directly into Morinth’s head, the barrel roaring, and it’s flash illuminating the room. It split her head in two and sprayed her blood across the wall, as her naked body crumpled off of the couch and fell to the ground. 

“Now you  _ die _ , you _ fucking _ bitch.”

Miranda’s attention was broken by Kelly’s scream. Who was staring at the body that lay on the floor, her eyes wide and wild-looking as if she had seen a ghost. 

“It’s going to be okay Kelly, just don’t look, c’mon let’s get you out of here.” Miranda offered her hand. Kelly’s eyes darted towards Miranda, they were full of fear. 

“I've got your back Kelly, you have to trust me, let’s get your clothes back on.” Miranda picked Kelly’s clothes off of the floor and helped her get dressed, pulling her hoodie over her head.  _ She’s shivering and unresponsive  _ Miranda thought to herself,  _ perhaps from being under Morinth’s control, or perhaps from what I did _ .

Miranda finally got Kelly’s clothes back on and held her head in her hands staring into her eyes. “Alright Kelly, I'm going to get you home but I need your help, can you do that for me?”

Kelly finally spoke but no words came out, only a confused gobble of sounds and slurs, her voice breaking with her shivers. 

“I know it’s hard and you’re scared and confused, but we don’t have to go far c’mon.” Miranda slung Kelly’s arm around her shoulder and helped her up, beginning to move towards the hall with a slow stagger. 

Looking down the dimly lit hall Miranda could see people running, clearly having heard her gunshot earlier. People ran by them, bumping into them as they walked, Miranda held on to Kelly tightly refusing to let her fall. Closing in on the front door she could see a crowd struggling to make it out of the club, each person piling on top of the other in a fear-driven rush. Miranda had no time to wait, she pulled her weapon out once more firing it into the ceiling. The crowd quickly made their way out, in fear of being shot. 

They were finally out of the club, Miranda saw a nearby sky-car terminal and sat Kelly down against a wall as she accessed its menu, selecting the Docking Bay as their destination.

Miranda crouched back down looking towards Kelly, their eyes meeting. “We’re almost home I promise. We’ll get you back to the Normandy and straight to Dr. Chawkwas okay?” Miranda said with a loving smile, her hand cupping Kelly’s cheek. 

The sound of the sky-car’s engines alerted Miranda to its presence behind them. She helped Kelly into the back passenger seat, before realizing she had one last thing to grab. 

“I’ll be right back I promise, okay? Just stay here.” Miranda closed the door before sprinting towards the alleyway she had left the fish in, finding its container exactly where she had left it. 

“Alright, little-guy we’re going home.” 

She quickly made her way back to the sky-car, jumping into the back of it with Kelly, the door closing once more as they were whisked away back to the Normandy, the horror of Chora’s Den fleeting into the distance. Miranda watched as C-Sec sky-cars flew past them, towards the club. Miranda looked towards Kelly once more, who was huddled in the corner of the backseat rocking. Miranda placed her hand on top of Kelly’s, gripping it tightly. 

It didn’t take them long to arrive at the Normandy, Miranda slung Kelly’s arm around her shoulder once more helping her towards the ship. Miranda activated her comm with her free hand. 

“Joker, I need you to open the doors now and alert Dr. Chawkwas that I'm bringing a wounded on board. Have her prep the med-lab immediately.”

Her comm lay silent for a moment before Joker’s voice broke over it, “copy that, who’d you kill this time?” 

Miranda was in no mood for jokes, angrily raising her hand back towards her face as she shuffled down the Docking Bay.

“It’s Kelly, say something smart again and I'll break every bone in your god damned body.” The comm remained silent afterward, with no response coming from Joker.

The two were received by Dr. Chawkwas and three of the crew who had wheeled out a gurney. Miranda helped the team load Kelly on to it, Kelly passed out almost as soon as they had. 

Dr. Chawkwas looked at Miranda as they pushed Kelly towards the elevator.

“What happened to her?”

Miranda swallowed, “you’re not going to believe me. I found her with an Ardat-Yakshi.”

Dr. Chawkwas gasped, “impossible an Ardat-Yakshi? You’re sure? She should be dead.” 

“They didn’t meld, I killed her before they did, she almost got me too.” 

Miranda saw the doctor’s face turn pale, “And about you? How do you feel?”

“I’m fine, just worried about her.” Miranda looked back down at Kelly, still in shock from the day’s events. 

The elevator made its way down to level two of the Normandy, and as it did they pushed her towards the Med-Lab but before Miranda could enter Dr. Chawkwas stopped her. 

“We’ll take care of her, this is unique as far as cases go but I have an Asari colleague familiar with Ardat-Yakshi. In the meantime,  _ you _ need to rest. Especially before the commander finds out about this. I’ll update you on her condition if anything changes Miranda but for now please go get some rest, a shower would do you much good there’s blood all over you.” 

Miranda looked down at herself, her white bodysuit covered in blue blood. She hadn’t even noticed, the club was so dark everything happened so fast.

“Okay, just… please if anything happens.” 

Dr. Chawkwas cut Miranda off before she could even finish her thought. “I’ll take care of her Miranda.” 

Miranda watched as she ran to catch up to the rest of the team, the door of the Med-Lab closed behind her. Miranda stood there in the middle of the Crew Deck, blood covering her body. She was exhausted, physically, mentally, she needed that shower, she  _ needed _ for Kelly to be okay. Miranda made her way to her own office, it felt so good to be back. She sat the fish she held, down on to her desk before making her way for her shower. 

Miranda peeled off her bloody suit from her skin and turned on her shower, the warm water casting the room in steam as the door to the shower stood open. She waded into the rain of the shower, the water running blue down her body as it took Morinth’s blood with it, as she began to cry. 


	18. Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm back after quite a long lay off, I'm not sure if anyone will still be reading this story but I'm going to keep posting regardless. Here's a quick chapter to hold you all over, while I work on the next few. Exciting things coming to the story! To anyone still reading thank you!

“Pretty fucked up isn’t it?” Jack asked.

Tali’s head turned towards her, Jack watched it in the reflection of the Medical Bay’s window. “What is?” The glow of her mask each time she talked also reflected in the window.

“Kelly almost getting fucked to death by an Ardat-Yakshi, the reapers, Cerberus. Everything is fucked up, all you’ve got to do is find somewhere quiet by yourself to understand that.” Jack held her hands in her pockets. 

“Is that all you think about? The bad things?” Tali almost sounded sad asking the question.

“Not the only things.” Now Jack could see that Tali was looking directly towards her.

“Care to explain?” 

Jack finally took her eyes off of Kelly all bundled up on her bed. “Not really,” 

Jack found herself lost in thought. “I’ve got to go take care of something, but I’ll stop by later and we can talk more then, okay?”

Tali looked back into the Medical bay, her hands resting against the lip of the window to support herself, “okay.”

Jack found herself crossing the common area, a small group of the ship’s crew sat around the mess table. The smell of darkly roasted coffee hung in the air, as they talked. Tali was still standing there when Jack looked again, _was she mad? Could Tali even be mad?_ Jack’s mind didn’t linger on the issue for long however, her mind was more preoccupied with what was behind the door she currently stood in front of. Just as she began having second thoughts about what she was doing the door opened. 

Miranda’s eyes met her own, “Jack.” Miranda sounded like she was expecting her, but Jack knew better.

“I’m not interrupting any important bullshit am I?” Jack asked as she walked into Miranda’s office, circling Miranda’s desk like a cautious predator. The door sealed behind her.

“I’m not sure if there’s such a thing as important bullshit.” Miranda was now leaning back in her seat, her fingers crossed in her lap, as Jack looked down on her, she could see the lack of sleep in Miranda’s eyes. 

“Sure there is, love is bullshit but it’s pretty important. You’re sad if you don’t have it, you’re just as sad if you do have it.”

Miranda laughed, “poetic, truly.”

Jack crossed her arms, and her face scrunched up, “fuck off. I came here to ask if you’re alright, I know you and Kelly are close.”

Miranda laughed, “oh do you now? What makes you think that?”

Jack sat down in the chair across from Miranda, kicking her feet up on to the desk. “It’s pretty obvious, everyone is talking about you two. Even the fucking goons outside at the kid’s table. Besides, you bought her a fish. I’m not buying Garrus a fish, and I’m_ definitely_ not buying Grunt one.”

Miranda scoffed, I bought that for a frie-”

“Fuck off cheerleader, I don’t wear bras and you don’t have friends. I see through your bullshit, I see right through it.”

Miranda exhaled, her fingers tapping against each other in her lap. “It’s horrible, I just want her to be okay it’s all I want, I still think about that night every second, it’s been three days and it’s all I think about. I see her face, I feel things constantly.” 

Jack picked her feet up off the desk and leaned closer in towards Miranda. “Kelly’s got a pretty face, I’d feel things too if I was thinking about her.” 

“Not Kelly,” Miranda was staring, not at Jack, not at anything really, but her stare was as deep as space right outside the ship’s hull. “_Morinth_,” Jack could hear the disgust and fear in Miranda’s voice like it hurt to even say her name. 

“I resisted her as best I could, and even with all of my training, all of my genetic gifts, my mind is still filled by her.”

Jack finally arrived at the point of the matter, “and you’re afraid of what Kelly’s mind will be like when she wakes up.”

Miranda silently shook her head, and after a moment of silence that held on the air for a few seconds too long, Miranda spoke again.

“Kelly didn’t have the training I did and was under her control for much much longer.”

Jack stood up, looking back down at Miranda once more. “The doctor says she won’t be awake for at least a few more days. You can’t sit and fucking pout about it all day, worrying won’t change shit. Take my advice, for once now’s the time to be selfish, take care of yourself. You won’t be able to help her with shit if you’re a mess when she wakes up.”

Miranda finally broke her thousand-yard stare, and finally met Jack’s eyes again. “Why do you even care, why did you even come?”

Jack shrugged, “felt like the right thing to do.”

Miranda laughed, “since when are_ you_ concerned with doing the right thing? What’s the real reason? Did Shepard send you?”

“Fuck Shepard, already told you why I’m here. Believe it or don’t your choice.” Jack turned to leave, and as she did Miranda called out to her one last time. 

“Do you still think about that night, in engineering when I went to see you? Is that what this is about?”

Jack stopped, but didn’t turn to face her, “it’s the only thing I think about besides the bad shit. But no, it’s not, get some sleep.” The door shut behind her as she walked out. 


	19. Miranda

_ Get some sleep, rediculous _ . There’s too much work, too much at stake. Miranda allowed herself few luxuries, few distractions there was a galaxy to save after all. Despite it all however Jack  _ was  _ right, her eyes did sting and the thought of her bed and it’s soft satin sheets tempted her. But she knew the thoughts in her head would override any comfort she found in them. Thoughts of Morinth, the Reapers,  _ Kelly _ . Miranda knew she had to see her if she was to get any rest and yet the thought of seeing Kelly in her current state tore Miranda apart inside.  _ If only I had gotten there sooner if only we hadn’t fought _ . It was thoughts like these that had been tormenting her as of late. 

Miranda finally found herself on her feet, the blood rushing to her head as she stood up. Before she fell over Miranda caught herself on her desk. The lack of sleep and the residual effects of Morinth’s control made her feel weak, not at all like a Cerberus commander. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door to her office opening once more, it was Shepard this time, his figure filling the doorway. 

“Do you have a minute Miranda?” His tone was soft. 

Miranda sighed, “what is it?”

Shepard leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms forcing the door to stay open. “How’re you holding up? I haven’t seen you lately, and well, you don’t look very well.”

Miranda sat on her desk, her hands balled up between her open legs. “I feel like shit, I’ve already been through this with Jack.”

Miranda watched as a confused expression crept across the Commander’s face. “Jack checked up on you? Are you sure you’re alright, not seeing things?” 

Miranda chuckled, “I wasn’t sure at first either, but no, she was real. She even seemed genuinely concerned, I imagined you had sent her.”

Shepard laughed, it filled the room with a booming echo. “If I wanted to send someone to check up on you, I would have sent Morinth.”

Miranda’s heart stopped and her eyes widened, reality itself felt like it had suddenly crashed around her. Sounds, light all of it crashing against Miranda’s mind like a cacophony of pain. Miranda held her head in her hand, looking towards Shepard. “What did you just say?” Her voice was a pained growl.

Shepard seemed concerned as well as confused, “I said that if I wanted to send someone to check up on you I would have sent Mordin.” 

Miranda shook her head in her hand, trying to knock away the headache she was feeling. “Right, of course.” 

“Miranda, you should really go see Dr. Chawkwas.” 

Miranda blinked her eyes awake, shaking away the pain in her head like cobwebs. “I was actually on my way there before you came to see me,” she paused. “Why did you come to see me, Commander?”

Shepard exhaled and looked at his feet, it wasn’t like him to be nervous. He was a Spectre, after all, he saved the council from a reaper and stopped Saren, even in his brief time with Cerberus Miranda had watched him do the impossible countless times all without a tinge of nervousness, and this concerned her. “The Illusive Man forwarded some new dossiers my way for recruitment, in them was a Drell Assassin on Ilium.”

Miranda cut him off, “forgive me Shepard, but why is this concerning?” 

Shepard rubbed the side of his face as if he had just woken up from a drunken stupor. “On Ilium is another potential recruit, Samara. She’s an Asari Justicar, and she’s also the mother of Morinth, the Ardat-Yakshi that you killed. I wanted to ask before we touched down if you wanted to be a part of the squad that brings her in.”

The words hit Miranda like a crashing wave, her stomach was in knots. That  _ monster _ had a mother? Of course, she did, she probably even had friends, maybe a dog that’s patiently waiting for a ghost to return home, starving. She did that, she pulled the trigger and ended her life, and she’d do it again. “I see, I’ll go.” Her tone betrayed her words.

“Are you sure Miranda? I could easily bring someone else instead.” Shepard always seemed to have a soft spot for her, she could swear it was more like a crush. And for a moment she entertained the idea in her mind, she could feel Shepard’s hands graze her body, the sensation of his breath against her skin and the smell of a luxurious cologne, dark and sexy. She could even taste him. _ Yes, you know you want him, Miranda. You know you want to feel yourself under him, his cock deep inside of your ass.  _ Miranda’s head felt like it was in a vice now, these weren’t her own thoughts. Miranda wasn’t sure what they were, but they certainly weren’t her own. 

She finally snapped herself out of it, “I’m sure Shepard, thank you.” the pain began to subside and as it did she could feel the wetness running down her legs.  _ Fucking insolent slut  _ she thought to herself, again not thinking like herself, there was hatred in those words.

Shepard finally leaned off the wall, “Good, I should go.” And just like that, he was gone the door closing once more, sealing Miranda inside her own private world, with the hum of the ship and the thoughts inside her head. Thoughts that Miranda wasn’t even sure were her own. What she needed was a psyche evaluation, a trained mental health specialist, what she needed was Kelly. Then there was this Justicar that Shepard spoke of,  _ Samara  _ perhaps she had the answers that would help Miranda and by extension help Kelly. Yet the thought of this Justicar angered Miranda ever so slightly,  _ strange _ she thought. 

It was time to see Kelly, frankly, the thought made Miranda nervous. Afraid that at any given visit she would be visiting a corpse. Dr. Chawkwas assured her that the worst had passed, but she would only feel safe when she could see Kelly smile, hear her laugh. Even then there was no rest, there was still a race to stop the Collectors, to stop the Reapers. Miranda wasn’t a fool she knew that they were real, she trusted Shepard, trusted the Illusive Man. But that was a worry for another time. Miranda found herself standing once more, leaving the quiet of her room. 

At the mess table, there sat a few lower-ranking members of the crew, drinking coffee, laughing. But when they noticed Miranda the laughter stopped, only awkward silence remained, broken only by a nervous “ma’am,” from a young man she recognized as Junior Navigator Jerome Addley. Miranda knew everyone on this ship, she even knew that Addley was from Eden Prime enlisting after the Geth attack. It was her job to know things, a job she was good at and one that made her feel in control. However the thought made her sad, she knew all about this man and he knew nothing about her, despite all of the information she knew about him they weren’t friends and anything she did know, she knew from snooping. “As you were,” Miranda said coldly. Continuing her march towards medical, until she finally saw her lying there asleep and lifeless, through the glass, _ Kelly _ . Dr. Chawkwas signaled Miranda in, an invitation that Miranda took. 

“Doctor,” Miranda said, watching as Dr. Chawkwas stood at Kelly’s bedside a datapad in her hand. “How’s she doing today?”

Dr. Chawkwas didn’t even look up from her datapad, instead swiping and tapping unseen icons and buttons. “Stable, at this point that’s all we can hope for. I suspect she won’t wake for some time, perhaps a week or more, hard to say. The research is obviously quite limited. Ardat-Yakshi are rare, survivors of theirs rarer still.”

“But she  _ will  _ be okay right?” Miranda’s nervous tone betrayed her cold exterior. 

Dr. Chawkwas finally looked up from her datapad to meet Miranda’s tired eyes. “Again it’s hard to say, according to the literature the last time there was a situation like this was nearly five hundred years ago. A young Turian soldier was treated by one Dr. Mazu an Asari Matriarch and expert on Ardat-Yakshi.” 

Miranda looked down at Kelly’s lifeless body, tubes sticking out from her arms feeding her nutrients she couldn’t even eat in her vegetative state. “And what happened to the Turian?” She was desperately afraid to ask the question, but even more so afraid to not know its answer. 

Dr. Chawkwas paused ever so briefly, her eyes glancing between Miranda and her datapad. “He lived but was a paranoid schizophrenic for the rest of his life. Which only lasted another six years. He committed suicide.” 

The doctor certainly didn’t sugarcoat anything. While the truth hurt, Miranda appreciated the lack of deception. As Miranda was about to speak the doctor beat her to it. “Turian physiology is quite different than humans though Miranda. There is  _ still _ hope, you survived so don’t give up. Miss Chambers is in good hands.”

A sad smile crept across Miranda’s face, “thank you, doctor, for everything.” gratitude wasn’t something Miranda was used to feeling. Especially in a ship filled with the likes of biotic convicts, Super-Krogan and old bloodthirsty mercenaries like Zaeed. 

“Please Miranda, no need to thank me. However, before you go there is one last matter to discuss.” Miranda watched as the doctor reached into a cabinet pulling out an orange pill bottle. “Take three of these every day, one in the morning and two at night. Make sure to take these on an empty stomach and when you need more let me know.” Dr. Chawkwas handed her the bottle, looking inside Miranda could see large blue pills. 

With a slow and confused tone, Miranda asked, “what am I taking these for exactly?”

The doctor laughed, “you might be fooling others but you don’t fool me. I know you likely haven’t slept in a few days. And even likelier still, you’re no doubt experiencing some minor auditory hallucinations. Hearing thoughts or voices that aren’t your own and aren’t  _ really _ there. The research was quite clear on these being very possible residual side effects.”

Miranda looked at the bottle once more, and for once didn’t have anything smart to say in return. Kelly  _ was _ in good hands, Dr. Chawkwas might have been the finest physician Miranda had ever met. “Thank you, doctor, again I appreciate all of your help.” 

Dr. Chawkwas just smiled in return, her eyes returning back to her datapad.

Miranda’s focus quickly shifted back towards Kelly, “Is it okay if I touch her?” Miranda’s eyes were full of worry, and guilt. 

“Just be gentle,” the doctor responded. 

Miranda held Kelly’s limp hand, gripping gently as the doctor had said but securely. Miranda briefly dropped the facade of secrecy she had built around her feelings, whether it was due to trusting the good doctor or simply being too focused on Kelly to care only Miranda knew. “I’m sorry Kelly, I wish I had gotten to you sooner, I’m so bloody sorry. But I’m here with you now. And I’ll be here when you wake up, and I’ll be here waiting to take care of you when you need it most, I’ll never let another damn thing hurt you, I promise. So rest up Yeoman Kelly Chambers, because I’ll be waiting for you.” A tear fell from Miranda’s eyes, “don’t leave me alone in this fucked up universe.” Miranda could feel that she was squeezing Kelly’s hand too tightly and let go of it, placing it gently atop Kelly’s lap. 


	20. Tali

“So, why exactly were you visiting Miranda?” Tali’s arms were crossed her three digited foot-tapping itself against the steel walkway of engineering. Tali looked down at Jack through her violet tinted visor, the world, and Jack awash with indigo. 

“It’s none of your business.” Jack clearly wasn’t in a mood to be interrogated, she hadn’t even been looking at Tali when she said it.

Tali let out a quick and frustrated laugh, “Keelah, none of my business?” Tali began to pace in circles, her hands making quick and wild motions as she spoke. “First, you tell me a riveting story about how the two of you fucked.  _ Then  _ you sneak off to do who knows what with her. And  _ finally _ , when I ask you to tell me what’s going on you say it’s none of my business.” 

“So you don’t trust me?” Jack’s response was quick and full of venom. Finally looking up at Tali from her dusty cot.

Tali stopped pacing and turned her head to meet Jack’s stare, “it’s none of your business isn’t something people say when they don’t have something to hide.”

Jack sighed, “fuck my life, I just went over there to cheer her up okay?” 

Tali scoffed before turning her back to Jack, “oh I bet you did.”

Jack stood up, “for the love of Christ, I didn’t fuck her. You really think she wants my fist up her ass after seeing Kelly’s mind turned into fucking Jello?”

Tali didn’t say anything for a few moments. Finally, she looked over her shoulder, “what’s a Jello? Is that like an animal or something”

Jack didn’t know how to respond, “what? It’s um, it’s food. Like uh, well it’s jiggly and comes in different fucking colors.”

Tali turned around, “I see, and the connection to Kelly is…?”

Jack pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “I can’t believe I’m having this fucking conversation right now, it’s just an expression. The point is I couldn’t fuck the cheerleader right now even if I wanted to, turns out the bitch actually has feelings they’re just for a really creepy receptionist.”

Tali sat down on the floor and leaned her head back against the wall looking up at the spider web of pipes and wires that ran above their heads. “Kelly’s not creepy.”

Tali looked back at Jack who now had her arms crossed, “have you seen her smile? It’s like her eyes are dead, and I saw her hug Shepard once. Who the fuck wants to hug a zombie?”

Tali chuckled, “apparently Garrus.” 

Tali watched Jack’s eyes widen. “No,” she said, “they’re not together.” Tali nodded her head in response and Jack laughed. “Shepard and Garrus? Fucking hell, now I know what that stick-up Garrus’ ass is. Or do you think it’s the other way around? Who told you anyway?”

Tali laughed, “nobody told me, I went to Shepard’s cabin a few nights ago to show him some fuel reports and well, when the door opened I saw something I  _ definitely _ wasn’t supposed to.” Tali paused for a moment, “and believe me, it’s  _ definitely _ Shepard with the stick up his ass.” 

Jack smirked, “figures, Shepard always was a pussy.” 

Tali sat there in the dimly lit room quietly staring between her legs at the floor in front of her that she sat on. “What about me? Or am I just a distraction while you wait for Miranda?”

“Look I already told you I didn’t fuck her,” Jack said.

Tali shook her head, “that’s not what I asked. You didn’t fine, I accept that, but you  _ want  _ to. And I can’t help but feel like you want to be with her more than you want to be with me.”

Tali watched as Jack scoffed, crossing her arms and leaning in as if to scold her like a child. “I don’t remember spending all of my time on the Citadel with Miranda this weekend, and as far as I can fucking tell Miranda’s not in this room with me. So clearly I prefer you, for whatever fucking reason.” 

“What do you mean for whatever reason?”

Jack let out a frustrated breath, “Miranda has it all, she really does. The ass, the tits, her face is beautiful too, her  _ voice.  _ Hell, she’s even fun to talk to sometimes but,” Jack sat back down on her cot and stared at the ground between her feet. “But she’s not fucking  _ you.  _ Someone whose face I haven’t even seen.” Jack leaned her head back against the wall, “you want to know the truth? The truth is I think about her all the time, and she’s still not as good as you.”

Tali gave herself a moment to absorb what Jack had said, before finally speaking up. “I don’t get it, she’s all these things that I’m not and I’m somehow better? I don’t  _ feel _ better. Why pick me? I just don’t get it.”

Tali looked at Jack, she was staring blankly at the wall across from them. “Me neither,” Jack said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas for all those who celebrate it! And for those of you still reading 20 chapters in thank you so much! Your support, your kudos, your comments do not go unnoticed. 20 Chapters and nearly 18,000 words what an exciting thing this story has been. And I'm not stopping rest assured. I figured I would use the 20th chapter as a platform to express why the story has slowed down, how I feel about it and where it's going. First, why was there a break in chapter updates for so long? The simple answer is I was busy with work, and this platform was frustrating me, this site is great don't get me wrong but little things began to pile up. Eventually, my love for this story and your support outweighed those frustrations and I found more free time to write again. Now for how I feel about the story thus far and where it's going, no spoilers I promise. I've written for myself before but its truly not even in the same ballpark so I consider myself a first-time writer. So as a first time writer iv'e struggled with parts of the story which is to be expected, the biggest issue not having an endpoint in mind, essentially writing scenes and not knowing where those scenes were taking me. I can safely say there are now clear and concise plot points we are working towards and I feel like the story will improve greatly from it. As for the smut I know that's why some of you read this, and trust me I like it too but I don't want this story to be just porn I want it to be a story and I want the sex to feel earned so rest assured that is coming as well. And lastly you guys, the readers, the fans which feels pompous to say but regardless, I would love feedback! I want to hear what you have to say and what you want to see. I wont let anybody but me rule the story, but if you want to see something, or if somethings not working tell me i'd be more than happy to interact and who knows maybe even include your wishes! Anyways this has gone on for too long, for my regular viewers and even those who just dip in read a chapter and leave thank you, truly.


	21. Miranda

Ilium’s sun flowed between the cracks of the wall that was Nos Astra’s skyline, shining brightly into Miranda’s eyes. “This was a bad idea,” Miranda said shielding her eyes with her hand as she spoke.

Shepard sighed, “I told you that the choice to come was yours, now we’re here.” Jack chimed in quickly afterward. “No turning back now Cheerleader, so chill out before you get me fucking killed.”

Miranda turned away from them both, the sun illuminating her silhouette against that of the city. Sky-cars flying in the distance, the sound of trade and commerce filling the air around them all. “Did your contact say where we could find Samara?” Miranda hadn’t even faced Shepard to ask the question.

“She did, she’s helping the local authorities with a crime scene so we’d better get there soon.” Miranda turned back to face them both, “right let’s get this bloody over with then.” 

The ride felt shorter than it likely really was, Miranda’s fingers tapped incessantly against the side of their sky-cars door the entire time as she looked out into the distance silently. Morinth was bad enough, now she had to face the mother of that  _ monster _ . Kelly, Morinth, Samara, her father, sometimes Miranda wished that the reapers would just take it all away and end her problems end  _ everyone’s _ problems. Miranda hated herself for harboring those dark thoughts and yet lately she held them all the same. 

Miranda’s daydream was broken by Shepard, “we’re here.” The sky-car hissed as it stopped on a launch-pad that sat adjacent to a police station. Miranda could see a small crowd gathered by some police tape. “What do you think happened?” Miranda asked. Jack answered without hesitation, “as if it matters, let’s just get the blue bitch and get out.” Miranda gave her a side glance and followed Shepard towards the crowd. 

Shepard pushed his way through the crowd and Miranda followed closely behind until eventually, they reached the two officers guarding the crime scene entrance. “Stop right there human, nobody is getting through.” Said a slender and beautiful Asari officer. Shepard held up a small data-pad, “not even Spectres?” Miranda watched as the two Asasi officers shot each other nervous glances. The one who spoke previously spoke again, “you may proceed Spectre but don’t cause trouble.” Jack laughed and they all made it into the dark alley that sat behind the police tape. 

As they marched through the crime scene Miranda’s attention was preoccupied with the anxiety she felt inside herself. Knowing that each step that she took brought her closer to Samara. Until finally there she was standing above another Asari that was begging for her life. Samara answered the Asari’s pleas with a shot to her head and an eerie silence held in the air.

The silence was broken by Shepard, “Samara? I’m Commander Shepard.” Samara looked up and turned her head to face the group and Miranda’s heart stopped, there she was again, _Morinth,_ she was the spitting image of her mother. _Mother _the word repeated itself inside of her mind like an echo, _mother, mother, mother. _Miranda felt warm, and any words that were being shared between Shepard and Samara she did not hear. A voice filled the silence. _She’s beautiful, isn’t she? Just like I once was. She’s even more beautiful, naked. _The words came out like a hiss, a seduction. Miranda knew these thoughts weren’t her own and yet it didn’t matter because the voice _was_ right, she is beautiful. _Kelly was fun to play with but this is a far greater prize my sweet. _Miranda was consumed by her thoughts and by the Asari that stood in front of her, Samara’s red armor shined violet in the sunlight of Ilium and only made her blue skin more inviting. 

“I understand that you are the one who stopped my daughter, on behalf of the Justicar order I thank you.” Miranda was brought back to reality by the words, “y-you, what? You’re thanking me?”

Miranda broke into a cold sweat, reeling from Samara’s words and her own thoughts. “Yes, and why should I not? Morinth was a danger who only brought this galaxy pain. I understand she even harmed one of your crew, I would very much like to meet this girl. It is remarkably rare for one to survive such events.” Miranda’s words were caught in her throat, but before she could spit them out Samara turned to Shepard once more. “I will join you, Shepard. My mission here is over and I owe you and your crew a debt, let us depart.” And so they did, Miranda silent the entire way back to the Normandy. 

Back inside of her room Miranda finally had time to reflect on the day, it hadn’t gone the way she expected. She expected for Samara to be sad, or angry or even just refuse to join them. Yet Samara seemed relieved, happy even. Miranda would do anything to protect her Ori, and yet Samara greeted the killer of her child with gratitude. 

_ She never loved me, never loved what I was.  _ Miranda turned her head to greet a visitor that was not there. 

“This is insane, you’re NOT real.” 

The voice snickered,  _ I’m not? I feel real, I think and therefore I am, isn’t that the saying?  _

Miranda clawed at her hair, “No you’re not, you’re just some voice inside my head!” Miranda reached for her pill bottle. 

_ I’m both, I’m with you now, so why fight me? Why fight the gifts that I can give you? Why take those pills when we could have so much fun together instead? _

Miranda growled, “you hurt Kelly, I’ll never forgive you for that!”

_ And she loved the pain, you’ll see how much pleasure we can find in it. I’ll open your eyes, your entire life you’ve been lonely with me you’ll never be alone again Miranda.  _

“You’re a voice! How could you give me  _ anything _ ?” 

The voice snickered again,  _ all you need do is listen and I’ll show you my sweet. The Asari curse the Ardat-Yakshi without realizing our full potential. You killed me Miranda, and I love you for it, now let me show you why.  _ Miranda sat down and stared at the pill bottle in her hand.

_ _


	22. Jack

The doors to engineering slid open with a familiar hiss, Jack had been coming here so much lately that even the little details were seared into her mind.  _ Fuck I’m getting soft.  _ Jack thought to herself as her eyes focused at the spot where Tali  _ should _ haven been. “Hey, Donnely where’s Tali at?” 

Donnely shrugged his shoulders still looking at his terminal, “not here.” 

Jack sighed in frustration, “thanks captain fucking obvious. She didn’t tell you where she would be?” 

Donnely threw an uncaring gesture in the air with his hand, “something about going out with Shepard and Garrus or something.”

EDI’s terminal suddenly activated, casting the room and all those in it in a blue veil. “Engineer Donnelly is correct, Tali left with the Commander and Garrus.” 

“We just got back from a fucking mission!” Jack said.

“Due to the last mission’s unexpected short length, and new unforeseen circumstances the Commander thought it best to not delay.” EDI’s voice echoed through engineering. 

“New unforeseen circumstances? What in the fuck is that even supposed to mean?” Jack said angrily.

“I am sorry Jack, I cannot share that information.” EDI’s avatar disappeared and it’s blue light with it.

Jack grunted in frustration, “fucking Cerberus and their fucking secrets.” Jack stormed out as quickly as she had entered, marching into the elevator whisking her away to the CIC. The doors slid open and Jack shouted into the crowded deck, “EDI you bitch I know you can hear me, I’m going out to get drinks I’ll be back.” 

EDI’s voice answered through the ship’s intercom, “I’m afraid that the Commander has not approved your departure, he would not want anyone leaving while he is away.” Jack was now standing in front of the locked doors of the ship’s airlock. 

“I’ll behave like a good little girl, I promise. Now fucking let me out.” Jack said prying at the crack in the door with a grunt. 

Joker swiveled his chair to face Jack, “wasn’t one prison break enough for you?” 

Jack pounded her fist against the locked door and turned her head to face him with a grimace, “Joker tell your girlfriend to open the door.”

EDI’s avatar rose to life, “Mr. Moreau and I ar-”

“Yeah, yeah, fuck off and just open the door,” Jack said.

“And get my ass chewed out by Shepard? Yeah, I’d rather french kiss a Vorcha... okay actually on second thought I’d rather french kiss Garrus. Point is it’s not happening.” Joker replied. 

Jack growled before pounding her fist against the door again. “You people are- you guys fucking- ugh! You two suck!” Jack looked up towards the ceiling and exhaled a great big breath and marched off back towards the elevator. And as the elevator doors opened, Jack froze in place and waited there for a moment thinking and turned to her right towards Mordin’s office. 

“Jack what an unexpected surpr-” 

“Mordin I need to fuck Tali and you’re going to tell me how,” Jack said cutting Mordin off.

“Ah yes, I’ve been hearing rumors about you two. Quite obvious really. Tali came to me a few days ago actually. However there’s nothing that you can do, she is the one who has to prepare. I already gave her all the things required.”

Jack blushed, “Sh-she was here? She already asked you for help? Why wouldn’t she tell me?”

Mordin was bent over tapping against the glass of a display case housing a collector seeker. “I’m no authority on romantic pursuits, Salarians don’t really work that way. However, I imagine she wanted it to be a surprise.”

Jack stumbled backward and leaned against the wall sliding down to her butt, now sitting on the floor. “I’m the worst girlfriend in the entire galaxy.”

Mordin looked up from the tank right as the seeker smashed against the glass cracking it. “Yikes!” he said in surprise. “ _ Are _ you two involved in a mating contract? She made it sound like a purely... carnal, affair.” 

Jack rolled her head to the side looking towards Mordin. “I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Right I almost forgot,” Mordin cleared his throat. “ _ Are _ you two actually dating? Because Tali made it seem like you two were just fucking.” Mordin injected a vial into the display case and began to snicker. 

“Well, we haven’t made it official, official but I uh-”

“You should just ask her, it would be good for both of you. Holding in feelings is, counterproductive. She spoke very... highly of you while she was here.” 

Jack looked towards the ceiling counting the number of rivets in her mind. “You really think I should?”

Mordin was now jotting down notes into a datapad. “Does not react well to bananas. Wait, what? Oh yes, I think you should, what’s the worst that could happen?” 

Jack sighed, “she could say no.”

Mordin looked up from his datapad and blinked, “well yes, I suppose that is the worst thing that could happen. While you’re here I have an inquiry of my own, what is a  _ coconut _ ?” 

Jack leaned her head back against the wall, “this place is driving me insane.”

“Do you think I could feed it to a seeker?”

Jack stood back up and wiped the side of her face, “I’m leaving thanks for the pep-talk.”

“Jack before you leave I do have one piece of medical advice for you involving Tali. Do not um, swallow any liquids that she may  _ produce  _ from her member. Quarian biology is quite different from humans.” 

Jack laughed, “thanks for the advice Mordin but I think I’ll be- wait, did you just say Tali has a cock?”


End file.
